Friday, November 24, 2006
UK troops could hand over Basrah to Iraqis early 2007
Security
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said on Wednesday that British forces could transfer control of the southern Iraqi city of Al-Basrah to the Iraqi government early next year. Beckett told parliament that there was "confidence" that Iraqi forces are ready to assume responsibility for security in the city. She said the process of transferring responsibility was "well under way," adding that Al-Najaf, another southern city, is set to be transferred next month. The Times has learnt that the military have been working on an option to withdraw half the British troops from Iraq by the middle of next year, cutting numbers from 7,200 to between 3,000 and 4,000.
